


Nametag

by BD99



Series: Havenfall [3]
Category: Havenfall is for Lovers (Visual Novel)
Genre: Canon Lesbian Relationship, Cheese, Children, F/F, Family Fluff, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Human/Vampire Relationship, Lesbian Vampires, Monologue, Romantic Fluff, Salt, School, Tongue-in-cheek, Useless Lesbian Vampire, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:34:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24145219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BD99/pseuds/BD99
Summary: Emily Helsing is relentlessly teasing her wife, Vanessa Helsing, and fooling around with her niece, Gloria Collins, at a school play when some homophobic comments terrify Gloria.  The Huntress and Vampire quickly work together to reassure Gloria that there is nothing wrong with love.
Relationships: Vanessa Helsing/Main Character
Series: Havenfall [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1603561
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	Nametag

**Author's Note:**

> As usual, I must credit Zutiala for beta reading me and letting me bounce ideas off of her at the WORST hours. Zuti has recently posted a drabble for Gideon and Harrow, and will hopefully be adding more drabbles as chapters. PLEASE go give it some love. Maybe you'll discover an awesome new fandom, or writer to follow ;)
> 
> This was written to a prompt on Tumblr, and posted to a pretty popular blog as a ghost writing project. I'm pretty honored that I was able to ghost for these amazing mods. Ghost writers from around the world have been helping with requests from fans, anons and not.

“Vanessa, you dropped your nametag.” Emily’s voice was clear over the din of the auditorium.

Vanessa Helsing blinked, brought back to herself. School was her long-forgotten dream of a life where she’d had friends instead of the abusive training she’d had drilled into her. She could imagine that she’d actually attended school for longer than a few months at a time. She’d stayed in one place, where she’d made the best friend a girl could ever ask for. It was a life she’d never known she’d missed until she met Emily. The formal dances she’d never attend, the jitters of asking her crush to the dance that she’d never get to genuinely experience. The photos for prom, where her date would watch her descend the stairs like a princess, or dance close under the romantic lighting towards the end of the night. There were so many moments that had been robbed from her, that she’d been convinced she would never need. Now, with hints of that waving beneath her nose, she couldn’t help but feel a tinge of longing. For a few moments she could try to forget that she was the Helsing heir. She could pretend she was a normal young woman who’d had all those teenage firsts. That she’d attended the prom beside another beautiful young woman. That she’d had her romantic dances and awkward first kiss, the cheesy prom photos, getting home at 11:00 on the dot so her girlfriend’s family thought her a respectable woman. That she’d graduated and gone to college, then come back to the small town and collected her sweetheart into her arms. That life had been a romantic story without the death and heartache she had endured, that she was back at her old school to see her friend’s little sister in the school play, then they’d go for pizza before a sleepover where they could watch movies and talk about old times.

“Oh, tha-” Vanessa never finished her sentence. The moment she grabbed her “name tag” she knew something was off. Were schools really offering such cheap, thin paper? What was that gritty, powdery substance rubbing between the wrapper? Wait... wrapper? Her eyes darted down, confirming her building suspicion when she saw the blue letters **S U G** before her thumb blocked off the remaining two.

“Emily, this is sugar.” She deadpanned, turning her gaze to the expectant vampire.

Emily was... dear gods, she was proud of her horrific joke. It was written across her timeless face. The brightest stars had to have been plucked from the night sky just to form the unique mischievous twinkle in Emily’s expressive blue eyes. Without the glasses needed in her mortal life, the scar across the bridge of Emily’s nose was more prominent, however the blemish only served to solidify the vampire in the real world. She had some flaws, such as how the somewhat heavy set of her brows always made it appear as if they were creasing in thought, or annoyance.

“Yep.” Emily began, popping the P on her smirking lips. That smirk only drew attention to the defined, high set of her jaw, along with her strong yet feminine chin. The strength to her feminine features made that playful smugness so unfairly attractive, more so than they had any right to be. Dear lord, she was embracing her vampiric nature to appear so smug, so above the world of mortals even as she delivered the cheesiest of lines without an ounce of well-deserved shame.

“I am in the unique position of knowing everything about you is sweet...” the vampire trailed off, leaning closer so that her breath could tease Vanessa’s ear as she whispered.

“Especially how you taste.”

“Emily!” Vanessa exclaimed in something of a squeak, hoping her scandalised tone could make up for how hotly her cheeks were burning. This was how she died. Not to vampires, demons and the abysmal supernatural who would prey on humanity, but to her mortification in some school she had no association to.

“I’m sorry!” Emily quickly cut in, realisation dawning on her face. Remarkably, the Vampire’s cheeks flared at how her words seemed to have been taken.

“I haven’t eaten today.” She confessed in a low tone, clarifying what she had meant by taste. That was very Emily, thinking with her stomach. So, maybe Vanessa could forgive her.

“I am currently only sustained by your immortal love.” Another pun, clearly Emily wasn’t feeling that guilty about her seemingly unintentional innuendo.

“What’s this after show gathering about, anyway? I was told to read the fine-print, but I didn’t see your name anywhere.” Emily continued, voice lowered enough to conceal her words from unwelcome ears.

“Sttoopppp” Vanessa groaned, allowing her head to fall forwards into her hands. She’d genuinely thought her face couldn’t get any hotter, yet she was once again proven wrong. Her blush doubled down, intensifying all the way to the tips of her ears.

“I don’t know what I expected from a school that is so cruel. It forces U and I apart.” Emily dramatically lamented, lifting the back of her hand to her forehead as her body appeared ready to fall. Her other hand clutched at her heart, fingers clawed as if trying to hold the muscle together. Her caramel brown hair swished around her face chaotically, strands streaking across her pale face when she shook her head mournfully. The display was enough to make Vanessa laugh out loud without a regard for any other.

“You’re so cheesy!” She accused, reaching out in an effort to playfully shove Emily’s shoulder.

“Ungtie Em! Auntie V!” A high pitched squeal of joy broke the moment. A dash of colour flew past the corner of Vanessa’s vision mere moments before there was earth shattering impact. A bundle of excitement leapt at Emily, making high pitched noises that Vanessa couldn’t decipher. The Vampire smiled, a single arm curling out to embrace the squirming mass clinging to her chest.

“Hey Kiddo, you were awesome up there!” Emily eagerly responded, leaning her head back and cocking a hip to establish some distance from the excitable child.

They looked so similar to Emily one might actually think them mother and daughter. Despite her youth, the girl’s cherub cheeks already showed signs of how they’d sharpen, whilst her chubby jaw already was beginning to form that devastating swoop. It wasn’t merely the physical aspects that struck Vanessa however. Although the child’s eyes were a vivid green instead of blue, they held that exact same twinkle that Emily’s did. The stars personified into mischief and glee which captivated the Helsing Huntress once again.

“I already sent the video to your mom and Gwen. They’re going to be so proud! Did you have fun?” Emily continued, attempting to smooth over the potential hurdle of an absent parent.

With Code Black extending into other countries, and Grace dealing with the consequences of having being changed into a supernatural being, coming to her daughter’s school functions had become a tad difficult. Vanessa’s heart plummeted as she remembered the tears in Grace’s eyes when she’d video called them, explaining that she was not stable enough to be near mortals just yet. Gwen had been equally as hurt, although she disguised it with her usual attitude. The Banshee was officially under orders not to leave her partner’s side, and to contain any supernatural outbursts. Of course, Emily had quickly agreed to step up and be there for her niece, barely getting her rushed words out before Vanessa was also agreeing.

The Helsing was brought back to the present as Emily pretended to nip the child’s delicate nose, earning an adorable squee followed by twinkling giggles. For a young Banshee, her voice was already captivating, drawing attention without even trying.

“Yeah!” She declared, giving a rather stout nod to compliment. her words. That drew another grin from both the adults, Emily making no effort to conceal her relief. This child was so precious, even though she was developing an attitude similar to Gwen’s. Briefly, Vanessa pondered if the vivid green eyes were a Banshee trait, or if it was merely that her father and Gwen had similar origins. The Helsing order had taught Vanessa a lot about hunting monsters, though its education on living with supernaturals was so painfully limited. Questions Vanessa had simply couldn’t be answered by The Helsing Order, and she was loathed to start badgering Gwen about these things. She was already very cautious about the answers she gave, seemingly not trusting Vanessa’s intentions. Thankfully, Grace’s daughter held no such hesitations.

“You were absolutely amazing, Gloria.” Vanessa affirmed, stepping closer so that she could squish Gloria into Emily with a hug.

“Thanks Auntie V!” Gloria muttered as she wiggled again, working one arm free so that she could curl it around Vanessa’s neck. Vanessa couldn’t stop her smile growing as her chest morphed into a comforting warmth. It was an instant sensation that encompassed her, just as her arms attempted to encompass the two amazing individuals she called family.

“I am surrounded by the most amazing women in the world! I love you both.” Emily announced softly, her smile so filled with joy that Vanessa’s heart almost burst through her chest. The Huntress had no idea how her body was able to contain the love she felt for these two, nor the pride she had in Emily. The Vampire was so fearless, so loving and tender despite her rebellious streak. Vanessa couldn’t help but lean closer, accidentally squishing Gloria, to press a quick peck to Emily’s smiling lips. It wasn’t quite a kiss, not with both of them smiling so much, but it was enough to express their love. That overflowing sensation that clearly filled both of them. Though, Gloria was clearly not sharing the sentiment.

“Ewww! Grown up kisses!” She declared, lifting both of her hands to shield her nearly glowing eyes. At that, both Emily and Vanessa laughed. Emily’s eyes adopted that wicked gleam again, the one which screamed that she was plotting. It was Emily’s equivalent of a cliché villain drumming their fingers together dramatically. One twitch of her brow was all it took for Vanessa to catch on, then act. In unison, the two women leaned in and pressed their lips to Gloria’s chubby cheeks, earning another high-pitched sound that was too preciously adorable for words.

“Disgusting. They have their fake marriage and now they want our schools too! The people of America shouldn’t have to let their kids go to a school where these perverts have access!” The voice that said those words was so gruff. Vanessa couldn’t help but flinch, even though she refused to turn her attention towards those speaking. Emily’s demeanour had also changed, shifting from playful to enraged within a single second. Her jaw hardened, almost bulging as she ground her, fortunately still human, teeth together. The blues of her eyes seemed almost purple for a moment, before she squeezed her eyes shut. When they opened, blue prevailed, although the stars had been returned to the sky. These blues were the depths of the ocean, where light only just could define colour. Vanessa shuddered at that. She couldn’t help it. The cold rage and building pressure within Emily’s eyes was crushing, and her glare was not even aimed at Vanessa.

“Honey, you mustn’t associate with those types of people, or their children. The devil uses them to spread wickedness and keep us from God.” The second voice was a woman. Gentler, quieter too. Perhaps that is what made her words hurt more than the man’s. Her tone was not rage and hatred, but the concern of a mother who desperately was trying to protect her child from what she feared. Her intent was not ill, even though her words spread hatred. She was just a mother trying to care for her child.

“These freaks want everyone to treat them special. If it were up to me, I’d execute them all, and the poor kids they’re corrupting. Cut evil out at the root before it ruins our country.” The male spoke again, somehow growing even louder. Around the room, some people cast him strange looks, or so Vanessa assumed. Nobody addressed his words, however. From the corner of her eye, Vanessa noticed one of the teachers discreetly turn and walk away, leaving the man unchecked. Something about his words cut too close to the bone, leading to Vanessa flinching. She’d heard homophobic comments before, even dealt with them, yet something about this man’s words. His conviction... it was too familiar.

“But Gloria is really nice! She helped me with my shoelaces!” A little boy spoke up, clearly trying to defend Gloria. Vanessa couldn’t miss the way Emily gave Gloria a proud smile, nor how Gloria snuggled closer into Emily. The little girl had gone several shades paler, whilst her eyes had darkened and dimmed. It was like watching a light switched off, leaving only fear and shadows in place of a vibrant scene. Then, Gloria’s body appeared to house a tornado for how violently she trembled, and the rushed breaths she took curled into the safety of Emily’s neck.

“Nice? She wants to turn you into a damn woman! All dykes are man haters, even the really pretty ones. If I see them later, I’ll make sure they ain’t so pretty anymore.” The Man spat. Like a key in a lock, understanding bolted into place within Vanessa’s mind. The words for gay were shifted into Supernatural. Vampires. Monsters. This man’s hatred was no different than the hatred which had been beaten into her own head. Vampires were evil, no debates. Then, her one time doubting it had led to the death of her team. For so long Vanessa had been sure of herself. Had not distinguished supernaturals between dangerous or not. They were the enemy. An enemy she’d struck down on hateful orders. Had she sounded like this? How many people had she saved and spread talk like this to? How many supernatural beings had felt the fear she felt now? The pain? How many children cried as Gloria was into Emily’s shoulder? How many little supernaturals had panicked and asked the questions Gloria was now?

“Ungtie Em, is that true? Because you love auntie V I have to marry a girl? What if I want a prince? I don’t wanna love a girl! They’ll hurt me! And I’ll go to hell! A-“

“Gloria Collins! You listen to me right now.” Vanessa cut in, turning her own body to shield Gloria from any hateful glances. The little Banshee lifted her head, green eyes blown wide with terror. A small nod let Vanessa know she had Gloria’s undivided attention, which she greedily claimed. If she had only ONE chance to fix this, she was going to do her best. She could not undo the damage of her own hatreds and past, yet she could prevent further hatred spreading.

“Nothing they have said is correct. Those people want to hurt others and make them feel bad for being different. There are lots of people like them in the world, but you can’t let their words hurt you.”

“You don’t have to love anybody you don’t want to, Gloria. Don’t you think Uncle Diego is handsome?” Emily questioned gently, earning a small nod from Gloria. At this, she smiled and continued.

“I thought so when I first met him, honestly I thought he could be my prince Charming.” Emily’s words earned a blink from Vanessa. She hadn’t known THAT! Though, when she really thought about it. Pale. Athletic build. Dark hair. Unique eyes. Broody exterior with a secret softness? Connections to the Supernatural... nope! She wasn’t going there. Nope, nope, nope!

“But, what about Auntie V? Don’t you love her?” Gloria gasped, seemingly invested in what Emily was saying.

“More than anything in this world, kiddo. Just look at her, don’t you think she’s pretty?” Emily’s gentle words caused Vanessa’s cheeks to burn. Her lips curled into an instinctive smile, unable to resist mirroring the tender expression across the vampire’s face. After a moment, she groaned, unable to endure the scrutiny. Her hands came up, shielding her face in a weak attempt to maintain some composure.

“She looks like a princess.” Gloria whispered all too loudly, earning a good-natured chuckle from Emily. When Vanessa braved a look through her fingers, she found herself gazing into two expectant faces. Emily was more matured, her amusement evident, whilst Gloria seemed almost enchanted. As if she were seeing Vanessa for the first time. Her little face echoed the wonder of characters in the anime and manga Vanessa so adored, right down to the twinkle in her eyes. These stories were filled with princesses and royalty, characters that had enchanted Vanessa for hours of her lonely life. She never had even stopped to consider herself anything like these characters... now, she was hearing that her niece thought her worthy of that title? It was too much!

“Yes, she is.” Emily agreed in a wistful tone.

“The first time I saw her, I thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. I was so lost in how pretty she was I almost crashed my old truck.”

“Not the truck!” Gloria dutifully chirped, earning a laugh from both Emily and Vanessa. That old truck was a nightmare, forever breaking down at the worst of times. Yet, their attachment to the truck didn’t let them quite dispose of it. It now served the Hunt family, breaking down at the worst of times and putting Mac’s teeth on edge. It also kept Mothman in business and gave them an excuse to visit Razi. Somehow, Razi’s sister always seemed to be visiting around the time as well... coincidence? Vanessa thought not.

“Yes. The Truck. Then she saved me and kept protecting me. She showed me that her heart was even more beautiful than I could imagine. She made me happy in ways no man I had been with ever had, or ever could. There were millions of little moments that made me realise we were meant to be together. The way her smile made me feel as if I was looking into the sun, how just holding her hand made me feel as if I could take on the world. She made everything seem easy and fun. She made me want to live, to be better than I used to be.” Emily explained, her voice going so wistful and gentle that Vanessa felt her heart beating faster and faster. Her chest thrummed and tingled, blood burned down her neck and collar in addition to her cheeks. Emily wasn’t done.

“She makes me want to protect the world, because I want everyone to have the chance to experience a love like I feel for her. I love Vanessa Helsing with all my heart, Gloria, and she loves me the same way. Even after I was turned into a vampire, she continued to love me. A Helsing and a Vampire is all so many people could see when they looked at us. To us, we were always just Vanessa and Emily. That’s why I married her, and not an uncle. Because I would rather have one single kiss from her, than an eternity with anybody else. I’d never go to bed again unless it is with her by my side.” Emily made no effort to conceal the tears dripping down her cheeks, not even when Gloria gave one an experimental poke. Crystalline blue eyes stayed focused on Vanessa, absorbing every single reaction as if they were water to a dying woman. Vanessa found herself in a similar state, enchanted by how the tears shone like diamonds against Emily’s pale skin. The huntress was enthralled by the beauty of the words, unable to even begin to process them despite the fact she knew them. In her heart she KNEW those words. They were every beat. They were every breath she took. Those words, their sentiment, were her existence. How Emily had plucked them from the air and given them form was... Vanessa didn’t have words.

“Does any of that sound evil, Gloria?”

“Nope!” Gloria stated, shaking her little head. Vanessa let out a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding. Gloria was just so accepting, so intelligent, so...

“It sounds gross! I’m never falling in love with anyone! Yuck!”

Well... she WAS still a child.

“I don’t think tha-” Vanessa began.

“Babe, hold onto Gloria for a second, I need to go talk to those people.” Emily was faster, cutting Vanessa off by thrusting Gloria into her lithe arms. She recognised the twinkle in Emily’s eye, that mischief with a touch of hunger which promised chaos. Staggering under the sudden weight, Vanessa’s extended hand missed Emily’s sleeve by an inch. An inch which may as well have been a mile.

“Em-” Vanessa stopped herself. Any further insistence would cause a scene, which wouldn’t be good for Gloria at all. Whatever Emily was planning, Vanessa knew it couldn’t be horrific. Not within such a crowded place, or in front of Gloria. Though, nothing could be more horrific than what she had seen. People doing nothing. Letting such vile words go around such vulnerable people. How? When Vanessa had realised her errors she had fought back. She had stood up to those who spoke with hatred, had fought to protect the innocent. Was she truly as unique as Emily said? Was it truly rare for someone to tell these people that their words were not appropriate? That threatening others was... she never concluded her thought as she watched Emily’s hand grab a packet from one of the tables. With an all too demure smile filled with fang, Emily held the packet up for Vanessa to see.

**S A L T.**

Vanessa let her head fall into her waiting hand, covering her face with a loud sigh as she predicted what was going to happen next.

Emily, with her saccharine smile fixated across her lips strutted straight up to the homophobic man, extended the packet and with a faux innocence spoke.

“Excuse me sir.” Her tone drifted from innocence to a purr, matching the way she spoke when her fangs were out and her eyes blazing. Through her fingers, Vanessa noted how pale the man had gone, even as Emily’s rich voice filled her ears.

“You dropped your nametag.”


End file.
